Penitence
by AzaleaFaye
Summary: A/U: Modern day Japan. An assassin who has killed his last man; A daughter grieving the loss of her father. He seeks forgiveness, she searches for answers. Little do they know that what they seek can be provided by the other. A/Megumi
1. No Regrets, Right?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters you recognize in this story. 

Author's Note: Hello! This is my first attempt at a Rurouni Kenshin Fic. I am an avid fan of the series and am extremely glad to see that a ton of others are also hooked on such a wonderful anime. Anyhow, this story is a combination of action and romance. The romance centers on Aoshi and a female character from the series. I wouldn't specify who at the moment, but I'm sure you will all figure it out after reading this chapter or, if not, after reading the next chapter. Hopefully, in this story, I will do the characters some justice – I'll try not to get them out of character. If, at any instance, I do that, then I apologize in advance. Well then, here's the first chapter. Please don't forget to review once you've finished. It would mean a lot to me, seeing as this is my first Rurouni Kenshin fic. Thank you and enjoy!

Chapter One: No regrets, right?

Three tenants of the Kamiya Apartment Complex stood patiently inside the well-lit elevator, each waiting to reach their desired floors. Two of the three residents, an old couple both with graying hair, smiled cordially at the other person standing across from them: a man with jet-black hair and expressionless eyes, who showed no regard towards the other occupants' presence. As the lift slowed to a stop at the third floor, the man – a cup of tea in one hand and a folded newspaper in the other – gave an empty nod at the two elders, positioning himself in front of the copper-toned doors, ready to exit the elevator. 

With his footsteps echoing down the hallway, and the elevator doors silently sliding to close behind him, the raven-haired man walked down the corridor, placing his folded newspaper underneath his arm as he fumbled through his pockets for his keys. He stopped as he reached his apartment, which was marked by a blood-red door with a peephole and three, silver numbers: 383. Pocketing his keys, the man entered his loft, closing the door and looking down at a sealed, brown envelope he had stepped on. 

Quietly setting the newspaper on a chair a few feet away from him, Aoshi Shinomori – the top assassin (and considered the leader) of the Oniwaban group – bent down, extending a gloved hand to pick up the envelope that had been slipped underneath his door during his brief run to the café across the street. Silently, he unsealed the envelope, walking towards a black leather sofa as he brandished a black and white photograph of a man wearing thin-framed glasses and a well-tailored suit. Beneath the photograph were two sheets of white paper, one containing a small blueprint of an area downtown, and the other containing information about the pictured man: date of birth, occupation, family, home address, and name.

A light ringing from within Aoshi's coat broke the silent atmosphere. 

"I trust you have met your next target, Shinomori-san?" asked the enthusiastic but deeply professional voice of Misao Makimachi through the mobile phone.   

Aoshi, eyes wordlessly staring at the photograph, quickly shifted his gaze towards one of the white sheets beneath the photo. "Hmm…" confirmed the man, eyes locked on the target's name. "Ryusei Takani." 

"Ryusei Takani," repeated Misao. "CEO and founder of Takani enterprises, the leading pharmaceutical company in Japan. He holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Tokyo University, a master's degree in pharmacology from—"

Aoshi cleared his throat, interrupting the girl.

"I know, I know: you do not require any further information about your target," said the young lady, a defeated sigh escaping her lips. "Now, I have been observing the target for the past three days, both at home and at work. Seeing as he's usually surrounded by people every minute he's at work, the best opportunity for you to finish him off would be during his 'alone time' at home." 

Misao paused, the sound of fingers typing on keyboards taking over the brief silence. Finally, she continued. "Takani-san arrives from work between 4:10 and 4:15. Judging from my observations, our target lives by the clock; he does everything at the exact same time, at the exact same moment, everyday." She paused again, catching her breath. "At around 4:20, Takani-san enters his office, sits down and either reads a book or goes through some leftover paperwork. Regardless, the target remains rooted to his seat for three hours. You are to pull the trigger sometime during this three hour period – the exact time does not matter, as long as you finish the job."

"The Takani residence is on the fourth floor of Mishima Complex, Building B. And the target's office is on the southern face of the structure, the fifth window from the left. Luckily, his desk and leather chair are directly in front of that window – giving you a clear and easy shot." Misao casually leaned back on her chair, a faint, squeaking sound making its way to the assassin's ear. "There's a small map included in the envelope. If you look at it, the Akabeko Corporate Building is directly across from the southern face of Takani-san's building."

Aoshi nodded silently, his eyes tracing across the map to locate the said structure. "Continue."

"Your weapon is in a black Samsonite case on the Akabeko's rooftop, behind three blue barrels – that's three floors above Takani-san's office," explained Misao. She heaved a fake sigh. "Now, since you despise our telling you what to do, it's up to you to decide where you'll position yourself and when you'll pull the trigger. Just make sure you inform me of your plans. Now then, are there any questions you would like to ask me, Shinomori-san?"

Misao waited eagerly for a response, face-faulting when a minute of silence passed. "Alright then," sighed the girl, a defeated look on her face. "Be careful, Shinomori-san. And more importantly, do not mess up."

"I never have, and I never will," replied Aoshi, his voice cold but confident as he ended the conversation, tucking the phone back into a coat pocket. 

Exhaling sharply, Aoshi glanced at his watch and ran a hand through his hair, lightly throwing the envelope and its contents on the empty spot beside him. He stood up from his position and walked towards a tall bookshelf, grabbing a crimson-colored hardbound from the selection. "Six hours…" he muttered, opening the book as he took a seat in front of a desk, propping his feet onto the table. "The last six hours of your life, Ryusei Takani."

~~*~~~*~~

Aoshi sat silently on a wooden crate at the rooftop of the Akabeko building, propping an elbow on each knee as he leaned forward from his sitting position, his hands clasped together and his eyes glued to his watch – 4:20 PM. Wrenching his gaze from his wristwatch, Aoshi glanced at the building across from where he say, directing his gaze towards the window Misao had earlier informed him of. Calmly, he stood up, green eyes fixed on the moving image of a man in a white long-sleeved shirt and a solid red tie, who was taking a seat behind a large, executive desk. 

With a resolute nod, Aoshi retrieved the black suitcase beside him, the hem of his coat whipping behind him like mysterious black smoke. Kneeling down onto the gravel-laden rooftop, partially hidden behind a ledge, the skilled assassin opened the case and assembled a silencer and scope on the 6.5 mm sniper rifle he held in his hand. Expertly handling the firearm, a finger lightly on the trigger, Aoshi looked through the rifle's scope, focusing his aim on the target's head. 

Quietly, he brought the rifle down from position, his left hand tugging at the collar of his indigo shirt, which was loosely tucked inside his black slacks, its first two buttons unclasped. Breathing evenly, his chest calmly rising and falling, Aoshi glanced at his watch – 4:28 PM. He readied himself for the kill.

Aoshi Shinomori had been placed in a position to kill probably a hundred times – maybe more. But not once has he failed to do his job. Not once has he failed to kill. Not once, in all his assignments, has he felt remorse. 

And for that, he is considered as one of the best.

With intense eyes looking through the scope, Aoshi once again aimed at the target's unsuspecting head, exhaling sharply as a gloved finger quickly pulled the trigger. He watched with unblinking eyes as the target lurched forward, blood splattering onto the bullet-holed window. Without a second glance, the skilled assassin disassembled the firearm, placing the rifle back into the Samsonite case, eyes focused and showing no regret. 

A scream, cutting through the city air like a knife, suddenly echoed from the whitewashed building across the street.

With both hands gripping the top of the suitcase, Aoshi looked up from his position towards the now familiar window. His green eyes widened in shock: hugging the slumped body of Ryusei Takani – the back of his white polo drenched with blood – was a woman with long, black hair, her face buried on the dead man's neck.

The loud noise of the city seemed to disappear as Aoshi, his left knee touching the gravel rooftop, watched the woman grieve – the sound of her silent sounds amplifying with each second that passed. He was jerked back to reality when his mobile phone rang from within his coat pocket. With one last look through the window, Aoshi grabbed the case and swiftly ran out of the rooftop, taking his phone out of his pocket.

"It's done," he said in a somewhat strained voice, swiftly descending down the staircase as he turned off his mobile and slipped it into his pocket again. As he opened the door out of the building, a black BMW sedan pulled up in front of him with a screech. Aoshi threw the Samsonite case onto the backseat, slamming the door shut as he reached to open the front passenger seat. He briefly looked up at the white façade of Building B's southern face, the image of the sobbing woman replaying in his mind. 

"Shinomori-san?"

Aoshi tore his eyes away from the building, his gaze landing on the bewildered face of Misao. "Let's go," he said in an unreadable tone, getting inside the vehicle without another word.

With a curt nod, Misao stepped on the gas pedal, a smile etched on her lips. "Looks like you did it again, Shinomori-san!" exclaimed the girl, her eyes filled with admiration and enthusiasm. Inwardly sighing as the man beside her remained impassive, the young woman continued the drive in silence, broking her own oath after five minutes. "By the way," began Misao, blue eyes never leaving the road. "Okina told me—"

"I shall speak to Okina some other time," said Aoshi, cutting the girl off, his eyes staring straight ahead. "Right now, it is best if you drove me back to my apartment."

For the remaining ten minutes, Misao held her tongue – not a single word escaping her lips until the black sedan rolled to a stop in front of the Kamiya apartment complex. As Aoshi stepped a foot out onto the concrete sidewalk, ready to get off the vehicle, Misao finally broke her silence and asked, prompting the man to turn his head towards the girl.

"No regrets – right, Shinomori-san?"

Aoshi's gaze did not meet the young lady's curious but concerned stare. Without a word, he stepped out of the sedan and closed the door behind him, not looking back as he disappeared behind the red, paned doors of his apartment complex. 

~~**~~~**~~

So…was that okay? I hope so…those of you who read this, have you figured out yet who I'm pairing Aoshi with? Heck, I'm not even sure yet…let me know who you think, alright? By the way, if you didn't like this chapter, please let me know. And if you did, then let me know as well. The only way for you to inform me of you opinion is obviously either through email or through reviewing. I highly recommend reviewing – it's much easier and much more convenient for you guys! But I wouldn't mind getting emails…well then, thank you for reading this little old story. Hopefully I'll get enough reviews to continue. If not, then I wouldn't…thanks again and have a wonderful day!

~~:AzaleaFaye:~~ 


	2. A Chance For Penance

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you recognize in this fic…

Author's Note: Hello. Here's the second chapter of this little trial story of mine. Thanks to those who gave me their opinion about the first chapter; I really appreciated any comments! This chapter has a small hint as to where this story is headed and will most likely give you guys a clue as to who Aoshi will be paired with. Well then, please don't forget to review once you've finished. Enjoy!

Chapter Two: A Chance for Penance__

_Aoshi Shinomori sat silently on a black leather sofa in Okina's office, his green eyes staring blankly at an arrangement of Lilies and Chrysanthemums on a coffee table in front of him. It had only been an hour since Misao had called for him, asking the assassin to drop by the Aoiya – a restaurant that doubles as the Oniwaban headquarters – for a brief but necessary talk with the oldest member of the Oniwaban group. With a quiet sigh, Aoshi wrenched his gaze away from the flowers and glanced at his watch, the tick-tocking sound of a clock echoing inside the well-lit room. Clearing his throat, Aoshi fixed his gaze at the young woman perched on Okina's desk, her attention currently glued on a thread sticking out of her shirt. _

_"Shinomori-san?" the girl suddenly said, unaware that she had just cut off the other person in the room, who was about to speak. Misao looked up from her shirt, her cerulean eyes fixed on the man sitting a few feet from her. "Please tell me you have no regrets over what you did yesterday."_

_Aoshi shifted his gaze onto the floor, an uncomfortable silence suddenly filling the room as Misao stared at the man with expectant and curious eyes. _

_"Are you not going to answer Misao's question, Aoshi?"_

_Okina entered his office with a flitting glance at the girl on his desk, disappointed that it had only been Misao and not some other young woman. Closing the door behind him, Okina walked towards Misao, leaning on his desk as he stood beside the girl, eyes patiently glued on Aoshi. When a minute of silence passed, the assassin not uttering a single word, Okina turned to the girl beside him. "Misao-chan, please leave us."_

_The old man walked behind his desk and took a seat as Misao, slightly put off at being kicked out of the room, opened the door to leave the two men alone. When the young woman finally closed the door, Okina turned his attention back to the assassin on the leather sofa, softly clearing his throat to get the younger man's attention. _

_"Well?" prompted Okina, propping an elbow on the armrest of his seat and resting his chin on his hand._

_"The target was not alone," explained Aoshi, finally looking at the old man, who now had a closed, unreadable expression on his face, his chin no longer on his hand. "A woman, possibly the target's wife or daughter, was present in the room when I had…killed Ryusei Takani."_

_Neither of the two men spoke, each staring at the other as a heavy pause filled the room. "And you did not see this woman?" Okina asked, an eyebrow raised in question, breaking the tense silence._

_"Only the target was visible from my vantage point."_

_"Why did you not execute her?"_

_"The target had already been taken care of," replied Aoshi somewhat coldly, slightly taken aback by the old man's question. With bitterness in his voice, he added, "Besides, I have not stooped so low that I would result to killing a distraught and grieving woman."_

_Okina leaned forward on his seat, resting both arms on his desk and clasping his hands together. "Are you telling me that, for the first time, you regret having killed a man?"_

Taking Aoshi's silence as a reply, Okina slowly reverted back to his earlier position, resting his back onto the leather chair. Through a thin-lipped frown he muttered, "I see…"

~~*~~~*~~

A year later…

The sudden opening of Okina's mahogany door jerked Aoshi back to reality from his reminiscent thoughts. Wrenching his eyes open, Aoshi turned to the door, silently wincing as his eyes adjusted to the bright fluorescent lights on the ceiling, to look at the two people who had just entered the room: Okina and Misao. The old man nodded at the other man as he moved to take a seat behind his desk. Misao, flashing an energetic smile at Aoshi, perched herself atop Okina's desk. 

It had been a year since his last conversation with Okina in the very same room. A year since he assassinated Ryusei Takani. A year since he last accepted an assignment. A year since he last killed.

"What do you want, Okina?" asked Aoshi, eyes glued to the old man, who had just pushed Misao off the oak desk with a disapproving scowl. "If you are trying to give me an assignment, you already know the an—"

"That is not what you are here for," Okina interjected, wrenching his eyes away from the girl, who was now leaning against the wall, a defeated pout etched on her lips.

"Then why, may I ask, was I summoned here?" Aoshi demanded, an eyebrow raised in question.

"I know your time is precious, Aoshi – and so is mine," began the old man, ignoring the younger man's rare, somewhat irritated tone. He cleared his throat, fiddling with his silk tie, and looked Aoshi in the eye. "But I am here to present you with an offer you would be foolish not to accept: an opportunity for penance."

Noticing the man's curious expression, Okina got up from his seat and walked around his desk, leaning against the bureau as he nodded at Misao, who held a red file folder in her hand. Misao handed the folder to the old man, returning to lean against the wall without a word – she was still embarrassed from being pushed off the desk in front of Aoshi. 

"I am well aware of your resistance in being given a new assignment since your last. A pity, really, since you're the best assassin and everyone in our staff look up to you. I am sure you have your reasons – which I will not pursue," Okina said, tapping the red folder he held in his right hand. "You had mentioned before that a woman was present in the room when you had assassinated Ryusei Takani. However, you did not know the woman's identity."

Aoshi nodded in confirmation, regarding the old man with unblinking eyes. He slightly drew back when Okina walked towards him and threw the red file folder onto the coffee table in front of Aoshi, a photograph of an attractive woman clipped on the flap. 

"Megumi Takani: the woman you saw hugging the target after his assassination," explained Okina, returning to sit behind his desk as Aoshi looked at the photograph he now held in his hand. "And, in my honest opinion, the reason for your withdrawal from killing another man."

"And how does she factor in on our conversation?" questioned Aoshi, gently setting the folder back onto the table, the woman's photograph still held in his hand.

"Megumi Takani's brother, Fumiya Takani, requests the Oniwaban group's help – he wants someone from our group to protect her," replied Okina. Noting the look on Aoshi's face, one that clearly says he needed more information, Okina continued. "As I am sure you know, shortly after Ryusei Takani's death, his eldest son succeeded him as CEO of Takani Enterprises. Despite the continuing success of the company under Fumiya's leadership, some people do not agree with this year-old arrangement. Fumiya and the Takani family have repeatedly received threats in an attempt to convince him to step down. So far, no one has been harmed."

"And who are these people so adamant in wanting Fumiya-san to step off as CEO?" asked Aoshi, his brows scrunched in curiosity.

"No one really knows. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that Kanryu Takeda – the man who commissioned Ryusei Takani's murder – is behind these threats," answered Okina, resting his chin on his hand. "Regardless, Fumiya Takani requested the Oniwaban group's help – particularly in protecting his younger sister."

"Her younger sister?" repeated Misao, face scrunched in question as she finally joined the conversation. "But what about his mother? Does he not want to protect her as well?"

"Fumiya-san's mother is in a secret location – possibly even out of the country. I don't know. But Megumi Takani lives in the family residence here in Tokyo."

A moment of silence passed, each person in the room left to his or her own thoughts. Finally, the quiet pause was broken when Aoshi asked, "But why does he need our services? Surely someone of his stature has extensive security."

"If I was in his position, I would ask for our help too," commented Misao matter-of-factly. She raised both her hands, palms up, in front of her. "I mean, would I rather be protected by some big, fat bodyguard who can't even run across this room OR would I rather be protected by an extremely talented and experienced (not to mention very good-looking, she added in her mind) man like you, Shinomori-san?" Misao moved her hands up and down, weighing in the choices. She looked at Aoshi with a sweet smile. "I think we know the answer to that question."

A small smirk made its way across Aoshi's lips, disappearing quickly, amused at the young woman's comment.

"Misao does have a point, Aoshi," said Okina, giving the younger man a knowing nod. "Besides, this is the perfect opportunity for you to, in a way, appease yourself of what you had regretfully done a year ago." He looked at the former assassin with unblinking eyes. "It's true that you took away Ryusei Takani's life in front of his daughter. It only seems appropriate that you protect the same man's most precious treasure: the woman who grieved in that room, his youngest daughter."

Aoshi said nothing, his eyes looking carefully at the woman on the photograph: her perfect eyebrows accenting sparkling eyes, her long black hair perfectly straight, her crimson-colored lips arched in a sweet smile. So this is her, he thought, the image of her sobbing over her father's body replaying in his mind.

"You do not need to tell me about your decision now," said Okina, noticing Aoshi's contemplative expression. Getting up from his seat, Okina leaned into the desk with his hands, a sigh that the conversation had ended. Misao moved to open the door as Okina said, "Just call us once you have made a decision."

Aoshi grabbed the red folder on the coffee table and nodded at Okina, giving Misao an undecipherable look as he exited the office. 

"Do you think you convinced him, gramps?" asked Misao, her hand clasped on the doorknob, looking at the old man standing beside her.

"Aoshi is not the type of man who can be convinced – and you know that. He would never pursue anything or do anything unless he really wants to," said Okina, watching as the metallic-gray elevator doors closed in front of the man in question, his eyes on the photograph in his hand. "We just have to wait for his decision." He turned to face Misao. Without warning and as quick as lightning, Okina caught the young woman's ear in a painful pinch. "Now then, how many times have I told you: NEVER sit on my desk!"

Misao batted his hands away, rubbing her ear as she scowled at the chuckling man. "I'll sit wherever I want to, OLD MAN!" And with that, she stomped away from Okina, her face red in anger.

"Not on my desk, LITTLE GIRL!"

~~*~~~*~~

Megumi Takani stood in front of a gray tombstone, the wind blowing her hair in slight disarray as she placed a single iris on her father's grave. Mentally bidding her father a goodbye, she wiped a lone tear cascading down her cheek and turned to walk back to the silver Mercedes sedan waiting for her, half glancing at the new bodyguard appointed to watch and protect her.

He's different, thought Megumi as the man, wearing a black coat over a combination of charcoal-gray pants and a white button shirt, held the door open for her to take a seat in the car. She flashed him a small smile; he closed the door. Usually, the bodyguards assigned to me are large, muscular men who cannot stop talking. As the vehicle passed the cemetery gate, Megumi turned to look at the man seated at the other end of the seat. This one's a complete opposite of the other men.

He had only been her bodyguard for a week. However, due to his lack of conversational skills, Megumi knew nothing about the man. Heck, I'm not even sure what his name is, thought the woman as she continued to regard the man with an appraising look. She suddenly looked away – a blush creeping on her cheeks – when intense, green eyes met her curious, chocolate orbs. 

With one last look (glad that he did not meet her eyes this time), Megumi sighed and closed her eyes, shaking her head from side to side, an amused smile etching its way across his face. 

You assigned an extremely mysterious man to protect me, Fumiya. An extremely mysterious man…

~~**~~~**~~

So…I hope this chapter wasn't that boring. I'm sure by now you'll get an idea as to whom I'll be pairing Aoshi with. But who knows? It might change as the story progresses. By the way, hopefully the flashback part transitioning to the present wasn't confusing…Anyways, please let me know how this was. I would really like it if you guys would review. I've been contemplating as to whether or not to continue this…so, yeah. Please review and let me know what I should do to improve this or what I should not do. Okay then. I will update if I get atleast 5 reviews for this chapter. Thanks for reading and have a nice day!

~~:AzaleaFaye:~~ 

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	3. An Unexpected Interaction

Disclaimer: I'm sure you all know this by now…but just in case: I don't own any of them…sadly…

Author's Note: Hello there! I've made up my mind as to whom Aoshi will be paired up with. I think it's pretty obvious who the lucky gal is, especially since the summary is pretty much giving it away and all. But anyway, here's the third chapter of penitence. It's not much, this chapter. But I think it has a pretty interesting ending. You guys just have to read through this in order to find out what I'm talking about. By the way, please let me know if you would like me to email you the days when I update. I wouldn't want you guys to check everyday just to find out if I actually did. You can let me know about that through your reviews – which I hope none of you will forget to do after reading this chapter. Thanks again and enjoy!

Chapter Three: An Unexpected Interaction

Kanryu Takeda drummed his fingers lightly on his mahogany desk as he doodled mindlessly on a yellow legal pad sitting on his bureau. He was frustrated – _very_ frustrated. Fumiya Takani was still the CEO of the company. And to make matters worse, the rookie was doing well as the company's head: stocks were up, sales were high, everyone was happy. Everyone but Kanryu himself.

"You would think that he atleast cares for his family," he muttered to himself, tearing the sheet of paper off the pad and crumpling it into a ball. "But no: Fumiya-chan wants this lowly vice president to result to actual violence."

He threw the crumpled piece of paper into a wastebasket, scoffing in disgust when the makeshift ball bounced off the round container and clattered silently onto the floor. A light vibration on his breast coat pocket caught his attention. Propping his feet up onto the expensive desk, he leaned back and extracted his phone from within his pocket. "Yes?"

"I see you are still an insignificant vice president, Takeda," said the voice on the other end of the line, deep and somewhat raspy. "Are you having trouble _convincing_ the boy to step down?"

Kanryu's propped feet immediately hit the carpeted floor at the sound of the man's voice. A lone bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face as he loosened his costly silk tie, stammering in response. "Of course not…it's only a matter of time before I will become CEO of the company."

"Hmph, I've heard that before," mused the other man, his voice a mixture of amusement and disbelief. With an exasperated sigh, the man added, "You know what your problem is?"

"What?"

"You're too nice," the man simply replied. "You approached the situation in a wrong way, Takeda. If you send Fumiya-san a threat against himself or his family, make sure it isn't an empty threat. Do something."

"I don't want to get into any trouble."

"But you already are in deep trouble, my friend," the man said, his voice knowing and taunting. "Or have you forgotten that it was _you_ who commissioned for Ryusei Takani's murder?"

A low chuckle reached Kanryu's ears as he stammered in response.

"Very well, since I am aware of your being an incompetent coward, I've decided to take matters into my own hands," said the man in an unreadable voice. "If you do not succeed in taking that boy out, I will personally threaten the man by hitting him where it hurts the most. And trust me, Takeda, you will not be left unharmed if you do not succeed in convincing the young man to step down."

Gulping, Kanryu listened as the man continued. 

"Two of my men are spying for me as we speak, infiltrating Takani-san's home. They haven't done anything because I had thought you were capable of bringing the boy down – but as we both know, you are not," scoffed the man. He continued. "As they have informed me, Fumiya-san cherishes his younger sister the most. Use this knowledge to your advantage, Takeda. And if your thick, idiotic brain still does not formulate a plan, then as I've said, I shall take matters into my own hands."

Before Kanryu had a chance to let a terrified cry escape his lips, the man on the other line hung up his phone with a click, leaving the horrified vice president to sit alone in his office.

~~*~~~*~~

Meanwhile…

Misao sat alone in the relatively large room reserved for Fumiya Takani's home staff, grabbing a rice ball from one of the many plates sprawled across the table in front of her. With a satisfied smile, she hungrily took a bite of the food she had in her hand, tears almost forming in her eyes at the item's wonderful taste. 

Okina had successfully convinced Fumiya Takani to add Misao into the staff, pointing out that the young woman is a great spy and will prove useful in obtaining any information on the person behind the threats to the man and his family. What with his sister's – as well as his own – safety in line, Fumiya agreed. Initially, Misao protested against the idea – she hated working with anyone but the Oniwaban group. That and she was not skilled in terms of cleaning the house or doing any other chores. Thankfully, Fumiya-san appointed Misao as his younger sister's personal helper. A plus for two reasons: one because Megumi rarely asked for her help; and two because she gets the chance to see Aoshi atleast once a day.

"Excuse me."

Misao looked up at the person who had entered the room, drawing her hand back from a plate of Ohagi. She smiled at the young man. "Yes?"

"Is this seat taken?" asked the young man with a curious smile, pointing at the empty space across the young lady. He gave Misao a thankful nod when she said no, taking a seat. "I don't believe we have met," he said, pouring himself a cup of tea. He flashed her a smile and offered his hand. "Soujiro Seta."

The young woman wiped her hands on a napkin, returning the boy's smile as she shook his hand. "Misao Makimachi."

"So, Misao-chan," began Soujiro, unaware of the nerve twitching on the girl's temple because of what he had called her. He took a sip of his tea. "I haven't seen you around before."

"That's because I just started two weeks ago," answered Misao, dismissing the child-like name he had called her…for now.

"Oh really? What exactly do you do here?"

"I'm Megumi-san's personal help," replied the girl, a bit uncomfortable with the young man's unyielding smile. Shrugging, she grabbed an Ohagi from the plate and looked at the young man across from her. "And you?"

"What about me, Misao-chan?"

"What's your position in the staff?" asked the young woman, slightly irritated. "I'm sure you're not the gardener here."

"I'm Megumi-san's driver," Soujiro replied, taking another sip from his cup. 

A pregnant pause filled the room after that, the pair left to his or her own thoughts. Hating the extremely awkward silence, and slowly getting more uncomfortable with Soujiro's still present smile, Misao cleared her throat. "So, how do you think she's doing?" asked the young woman, unsure as to where the conversation is headed.

"Who?" asked Soujiro, his head tilted to one side and his hands clasped around the cup. 

"Megumi-san," said Misao with a roll of her eyes, a voice in the back of her head saying, _He's a little clueless…_

"She's more cheerful now," began Soujiro, his lips etched into a warm smile. "I remember, when I first began working for her, Megumi-san was always crying in the car. Whenever I asked her what was wrong, she would just tell me that she was feeling okay, denying her true feelings. It was really a good thing that the bodyguards assigned to her during that time were warm and friendly."

"What do you mean?"

"They frequently spoke to her, tried to make her forget about what had happened," recalled the young man. "It worked whenever she's around her bodyguards – she wasn't as depressed as she normally was. But her new bodyguard, he's not much of a talker, isn't he?"

"What's wrong with that?" demanded Misao, her eyes narrowed in question and her eyebrows scrunched in mild anger.

Soujiro raised his hands in defense, cowering as Misao leaned aggressively towards him. "I didn't mean anything negative by saying that," said the young man with a nervous chuckle. "It's just that…he's never said a word to Megumi-san. I'm a bit worried that she's beginning to become frightened of that man…"

"Aoshi-san does not speak unless he has anything relevant to say," blurted Misao, interrupting the young man. "He may not speak much, but he's the most qualified man to protect Megumi-san! After all, he is the leader of the Oni—" Misao suddenly stopped, a hand immediately flying to cover her mouth. 

"Oh, you know him?" asked Soujiro with an air of innocence.

Misao struggled to blurt out a response, her mouth closing and opening like a fish out of water. Her cheeks reddened as she moved her head from side to side. She was about to emphasize her denial when the door suddenly swung open and a woman clad in a somewhat skimpy outfit entered the room.

"There you are, boy!"

The young man smiled and got up from his seat. "Kamatari-san."

"I need to speak with you."

Nodding, Soujiro walked towards the staff member who had called him, turning briefly towards Misao before leaving the room. "We'll continue this conversation some other time, Misao-chan. Ja ne!"

Misao smiled and gave the young man a wave, watching as he disappeared behind white doors, her brows scrunching in confusion when the staff member who had called Soujiro gave her a glare and followed the young man out of the room. Sighing loudly, Misao grabbed another rice ball from the table and, taking a large bite, she muttered, "Gramps is going to kill me when he finds out I almost gave away our true identities…"

~~*~~*~~

A heavy sigh escaped Megumi's crimson-colored lips, running her fingers through her raven hair as she turned the page of the thick text resting on the table in front of her. With a soft, frustrated growl, she leaned against the back of her chair and allowed her body to slide down the seat until her neck was supported by the top of the chair's back, her head lazily hanging back and her hair hanging down like a curtain of black silk. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, smirking when her stomach gave a faint growl. "I should go to dinner now," Megumi muttered to herself as she glanced at her watch, moving to sit in a more proper position.

Gently grasping the back of the chair with her hand, Megumi gracefully got up from her seat and turned around, her gaze immediately landing on the man sitting by the door. Judging from his peaceful façade, Megumi assumed that he was asleep. _It's only been two weeks,_ thought the raven-haired beauty as her eyes trailed the man's sleeping form, noting the uncomfortable way he rested his head against the wall. _And he still hasn't spoken a word to me. I doubt he even knows my name…_

Cautiously, Megumi approached the sleeping man, all the while debating whether or not to wake him up. Standing directly in front of him, she made up her mind and slightly bent her knee so her face was level to his, her left hand perched lightly on her thigh. Megumi extended her right arm and gently tapped the man on his shoulder. _He must be a heavy sleeper,_ Megumi thought with a pout, regarding the way his chest rose evenly, the way his eyes were gently closed. "Some bodyguard he is," she muttered with a huff, extending her arm again to tap him awake. "How can he stay alert and protect me when he's here nod—"

She did not finish her sentence. 

Without warning, the man – supposedly asleep – caught Megumi's wrist with his left hand, his grip strong and deadly. Yelping, the raven-haired beauty felt her body quickly jerk back as the man abruptly rose from his seat, knocking the cream-colored chair off balance. With the same degree of stealth, he gently slammed her back against the wall, his left hand pinning her wrist next to her head and his right hand holding a gun pointed an inch from her chin. 

All in under eight seconds. 

Defiantly, Megumi stared back at the man's scrutinizing green eyes, her left hand gripping her skirt in shock, masking her fear from his intense reaction to her gently prodding. A silent but somewhat triumphant huff escaped her lips when his green eyes widened in shock, the deadly grip on her wrist slightly loosening. They remained in the same position for another five seconds, both breathing heavily; both staring at the other in a mixture of defiance and shock; both aware of the weight of his body pressed against hers. 

Megumi finally broke the heavy silence when she felt his hand pry itself loose from his release, inwardly relieved when he shifted his weight off her. "I just thought you should know," she said in a calm albeit strained voice, raising her left hand to clasp the gun's cold barrel, her chocolate eyes penetrating into his. "It's time for dinner." She gently lowered the gun away from her face, eyes still on his, and lightly pushed the man away, walking towards the large oak doors of the study. As she clasped the knob to open the door, she turned halfway and said, offhandedly, "Fumiya would be upset if you are not there."

And with that said, she disappeared behind the oak entrance, leaving the man to himself as he ran a hand through his jet-black hair, following Megumi's footsteps in silent strides. 

~~**~~~**~~

That wasn't such a great chapter, wasn't it? I apologize. I've been busy for the past two weeks and it seems that my creative juices have been exhausted due to all the reading I've had to do for all my classes. UC Irvine's been stressing me out with all those difficult classes! I'll try and make the next chapter better just for you guys! But please, let me know what you thought of this chapter by simply clicking the little button on the bottom left-hand corner of your screen. I really appreciate any comments from the readers – I know they're extremely helpful! Plus, it's a pretty good impetus for me to keep adding on to this story, right? So yeah…please don't forget to review…It means a lot hearing from you guys! Well then…thank you again for taking the time and reading this. Hopefully there will be more Aoshi/Megumi supporters once I've finished this story! haha…

~~:AzaleaFaye:~~

Btw…for those of you who haven't read Cherie Dee's story, Enemies and Allies, I suggest you do! Haha…little plug there! Bye! 


	4. A Small Talk Between Close Strangers

Disclaimer: I still do not own any of the characters you recognize…

Author's Note: Hello there! I apologize for not updating at all last week. I was actually sick with the flu plus, school had just started for me last week so I wasn't really in a very relaxed state during those seven days. In other words, I didn't have the time to do anything else but either sleep or read for lectures (actually, just read for lectures…). Again, sorry! Anyway, here's the fourth chapter of my story. I'm not sure if any of you will like this chapter…it doesn't lend much to the plot of the story. Although this chapter does have a little icebreaker type of thingie between our two main characters…alright, I won't say anything else about the chapter. But please, don't forget to review once you've finished reading – I need to know how I did, right? And what you thought about this chapter as well…okay I'll stop talking now. Enjoy!

Chapter Four: A Small Talk Between Close Strangers

The swinging, beige double doors of the large kitchen swiveled open, prompting Misao to look up from the dishes she was drying. Dismissing the person who had just entered the room, Misao reverted her attention back to her chore. Earlier that day, she had asked the head staff member if she could help the others with their chores, seeing as Megumi rarely asked for her help. Besides, Misao felt useless, doing nothing for the past four weeks but help Megumi carry some books to her room. 

"Don't ignore me, little girl!"

Inwardly sighing, Misao turned to face the speaker, clutching the towel in front of her in a straight line, each of her hands clasping an end of the cloth tightly. Fixing her lips to turn upwards in a fake smile, Misao beamed at the person who had addressed her rather rudely. "What did you want, Kamatari-san?"

"Fumiya-san asked me to call you into his office," replied the beautiful man, impatience evident on his well-made face. When he saw that the young woman did not budge, he placed his hands on his hips and said, emphatically, "NOW."

"Why?"

"I don't know!" said Kamatari, his perfectly arched eyebrows scrunched in annoyance. "Just go." He watched as Misao plopped the towel down onto the sink and slowly walked past him. As the young woman slowly opened the swinging doors, he stopped her. "Hey, if you run into Megumi-san's bodyguard, give him a wink for me, alright?" And with that said, he made his way towards the sink and took over the task Misao had just abandoned. 

"Weirdo," scoffed Misao, exiting the room with a mixture of irritation and disgust on her face. With quick strides, she made her way through the hardwood-floored halls, finally reaching Fumiya Takani's office in less than a minute. Quietly, Misao turned the knob on the double oak doors, entering the room without a word and closing the door behind her with a faint click.

She scanned the room, noticing that the executive office was the same room where Aoshi had killed Ryusei Takani. Her examination of the room stopped when her cerulean eyes landed on two people congregated by the large desk sitting directly in front of the window – apparently, no one had bothered moving the furniture despite what had happened to its previous occupant. Misao's current employer, Fumiya Takani, sat behind the desk, his face somewhat flushed as he listened intently to his younger sister, whose hands were propped on the table as she leaned towards her brother, her back towards the girl, arguing about something Misao had no idea about. Slowly, Misao made her way towards Soujiro, whom she had just noticed was standing a few feet away from her, leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. 

"What's going on?" whispered Misao, nodding towards the two arguing siblings as she imitated the young man next to her, leaning against the wall and resting folded arms across her chest. 

"You mean you haven't heard?" asked Soujiro brightly, cocking his head to the side. "Fumiya-san received a letter this morning."

"A letter?"

Soujiro nodded. "Apparently, someone's going to try and hurt Megumi-san today."

Misao gasped, her gaze suddenly fixed on the older woman, who was now seated on a chair in front of her brother's desk, calmer than earlier. "Why are they arguing?"

"I actually just got here myself, Misao-chan," said Soujiro, his voice somewhat apologetic. He turned his attention to the two conversing siblings. "Why don't we just listen?"

Nodding, the pair remained quiet, both paying attention to the scene unfolding in front of them.

~~*~~~*~~

Megumi took a seat on the cushioned chair in front of her brother's desk, throwing her leather-bound organizer on the desk with an exasperated sigh. Her brother had called for her twenty minutes ago, informing the raven-haired woman that he is placing her under house arrest for the day. Obviously, she had not taken the news well. 

"Fumiya-nii," interrupted Megumi, irritated that her brother had asked her to calm down a minute ago and asked her to take a seat. "For the third time, would you please tell me _why_ you're placing me under house arrest?!"

The older man ignored her question, instead taking his glasses off his face and massaging the bridge of his nose. Irritated, Megumi abruptly got up from her seat, almost knocking the furniture over with her action, and turned to leave the room. She stopped, however, when her brother called for her name. 

"Megumi, please wait."

She turned to face him again, her face a mixture of irritation and curiosity.

"I am placing you under house arrest because someone has made a threat against your life."

"So?" she scoffed.

"What do you mean, 'so'?" asked Fumiya, exasperated with her sister's reaction.

"You've received threats before, have you not?" asked Megumi, her eyebrows arched in question. "So why, all of a sudden, am I to be placed on house arrest after the one-millionth threat against my life?!"

"It's best that we are careful, Megumi-san."

The two siblings turned their faces towards the man standing next to a tall shelf a good ten feet away from them, his hands tucked inside his pockets. A small frown made its way into Megumi's lips – she had forgotten that her bodyguard was also in the room. Turning to face the man, Megumi rested her hands on her hips and her weight onto her left leg. "What are you talking about?!"

"Fumiya-san is only looking out for you," responded the man, his voice calm but imposing. His next words struck her oddly. "And so am I."

Speechless, Megumi tore her angry gaze from the man. She had been hostile towards him since their strange interaction three days ago, not even looking at him whenever he opened the door for her or did whatever he usually did that she thanked him for. For some reason, Megumi did not bother telling anyone about the event. In fact, she didn't want to. She had convinced herself that he is the most capable person to protect her, given his extremely alert senses both when he's awake and when he's asleep. 

"Megumi, please understand," said Fumiya, jerking his sister away from her thoughts. "Aoshi suggested that you remain here at home where you are less likely to be a target and where you are safe. Obviously, I agreed with his request."

Sighing in defeat, Megumi relented to her brother's command. "Fine, I'll stay in the house. But could you please ask someone to get something for me?" She moved to retrieve the leather organizer on her brother's desk, unaware that some of the planner's contents had slipped silently onto the floor. 

Nodding, Fumiya nodded at the young woman leaning against the wall next to a young man. "That's why I've called Soujiro and Misao in here. Let them know what you need and they'll take care of it."

Without another word to her brother, Megumi walked towards her driver and personal helper, smiling at the two. "Please come with me, Soujiro, Misao."

With that, the three disappeared from the office, neither of the two young adults saying a word.

~~*~~~*~~

"I wonder who sent that letter to Fumiya-san…" said Misao, asking herself the question out loud with a pout. She turned to face the young man sitting next to her, his eyes glued to the road as he drove the silver sedan. "What do you think, Soujiro-kun?" 

"I don't have a clue either, Misao-chan," replied Soujiro with a chuckle, his eyes still on the road. "Although if I did, I am sure I will inform Fumiya-san immediately!"

"I would too," said Misao absentmindedly. They drove in silence for ten minutes, the quiet finally being broken when Misao yelled at Soujiro for running a red light. The young man smiled at the girl next to him, scratching his head as he chuckled an apology. With the uncomfortable silence lifted, the young woman racked her brains for anything to talk about. "Soujiro-kun, may I ask you a question?"

"Sure, Misao-chan."

"Why is Kamatari-san such a bitch?" Misao blurted, her head tilted to one side. "She has a really pretty face but her attitude really ruins her beauty."

"Kamatari-san is a complicated man, Misao-chan."

"Man? Don't you mean woman?"

Soujiro gave a hearty chuckle at the young woman's expression: her mouth was slightly agape in shock; her eyes were wide in disbelief. "Kamatari-san is a man, Misao-chan."

"Oh my God!" exclaimed the young woman, a hand flying to cover her mouth in surprise. "But she, I mean he, has such a pretty face! And for crying out loud, he has a curvier body than I do! I've been jealous of a man all along!" A pout made its way onto the young woman's lips, her arms crossed across her chest as she gave a frustrated groan. "This isn't fair! A _man _is better looking than I am!" 

"Don't worry Misao-chan," said Soujiro, his lips turned up into a fond smile. "You're an extremely pretty girl and I'm sure Kamatari-san would love to give you some tips to make you even more attractive, given that you ask him nicely."

A frown suddenly made its way into Misao's lips, her eyes changing color into a dark blue as a nerve twitched on her temple. "Are you saying that I'm pretty but NOT pretty enough?!"

Soujiro cringed. "Umm…I never said that," muttered the young man defensively, his eyes avoiding the young woman's as he scanned the shops they passed. 

"You were implying it!" said Misao with a growl. "Weren't you, Soujiro?!"

Luckily for the young man, he spotted the gift shop Megumi had told them about. And, pulling over to a stop, he faced the angry young woman and chuckled nervously. "Ano…Misao-chan, we've arrived at the gift shop," he said, pointing at the store directly in front of the parked car. "Shouldn't you go and get Megumi-san's order."

Turning to look at the shop, Misao slung a red purse on her shoulders and glared at the young man before opening the door to get out. Prior to closing the door, she glared at Soujiro again and muttered, "You got lucky Soujiro-kun. Just pray that I forget about what you said."

And with that, the girl closed the door with a light bang, leaving Soujiro to sit in the car with a nervous smile, hoping against hope that Misao will forget whatever it was he had said to offend her. 

~~*~~~*~~ 

Aoshi walked in silent strides through the portrait-laden hallway, the rolled-up sleeves of his white, long-sleeved shirt brushing against his khaki pants as he made his way to the white doors at the end of the corridor. An hour and a half had passed since the short meeting in Fumiya Takani's office, forty minutes since he began his search for the woman he was supposed to be protecting. He chose to go to her room last, knowing that she would want to be left alone for some time. Finally reaching the door at the end of the hallway, Aoshi raised an arm to knock on the white door. He heard a faint shuffling from within the confines of the room and five seconds later, the woman he had been looking for opened the door slowly. 

"I see you've finally arrived, Misao-"

The raven-haired beauty's words stopped mid-sentence as she looked up, surprised that it was not Misao who had knocked on the door. Aoshi stared at the woman impassively, noting that her arm covered her somewhat exposed chest (her sleeveless shirt had a very look neckline) as her delicate hand flew to cover her mouth in surprise. Noticing the woman's sudden discomfort, Aoshi turned to leave. 

"Wait, don't leave yet."

Stopping, he turned to look at the young woman, who had now fully opened the door. She extended her hand, motioning for Aoshi to enter the room. "Please, come in."

Without a word, Aoshi complied, stuffing a hand on each pocket as he entered the room and calmly rooting himself to a spot by the door. He watched as the young woman closed the white door silently and made her way to her closet, slipping on a blue jacket to cover her exposed skin. As the raven-haired woman made her way to sit on her bed, Aoshi scanned the large room, noting the hints of femininity: the floral bedspreads, the light-pink curtains, the geisha scroll painting hanging atop her bed. His gaze finally rested on the woman sitting on her bed, the way her shirt dipped dangerously down her chest contrasting with the primness of her ankles crossed together and her hands clasped gently on her lap. Clearing his throat, Aoshi dug into his left pocket and took a step towards the raven-haired woman, extending his arm towards her and handing her a colored photograph. "You dropped this earlier, Takani-san."

Brows scrunched in bewilderment, Megumi extended a slender hand forward and gingerly took the said item from the man's hand. Turning the photograph over, she smiled fondly and whispered, "Arigatou…"

Nodding in acknowledgement to her thanks, Aoshi moved towards the door, his hand loosely clasping the brass knob. As he turned the knob, Megumi got up from the bed and carefully touched his shoulder. Curiously, he turned his head to look at the pale hand resting on his shoulder. He looked at the girl with curiosity, his green eyes meeting her brown orbs in question. 

"You're leaving already?" inquired the girl, the photograph still held in her other hand, which was resting on her chest. She gently lowered her hand from the man's shoulder, dropping her arm to her side. "And here I thought we were actually starting to get past your communication problem."

Shrugging, Megumi walked towards the white desk resting next to her bed, taking a seat on the chair in front of the table. She heard the door close and sighed, running a finger through the small photograph she held in her other hand.

"The little girl on the picture…is that you?" 

Startled by the voice cutting through her thoughts, the raven-haired woman brought her gaze to the man, who had closed the door and rooted himself once again onto the same spot next to the door. He leaned against the whitewashed walls, a hand on each pocket as he waited for the woman's answer.

She nodded, her eyes fixed again on the snapshot in her hand: a man in his late thirties wearing a charcoal-black suit and red tie held a small child around four years; her beautiful hair was held in two pigtails and her red dress, adorned with white ruffles at the hem of her skirt, brought out the beauty of the child. "This was the very first photograph I remember my father and I ever taking together," she whispered, a fond smile creeping across her lips. A lone tear dropped onto her hand. 

"You were very close to your father, were you not?" asked Aoshi, an unfamiliar feeling of concern coursing through his veins as he saw the tear hit her hand. 

"Yes, I was," replied the girl in a strained voice. Composing herself, she lightly kissed the photograph and set it gently onto her desk. "I admired my father a lot. In fact, he's the reason why I'm studying pharmacology myself." A fond yet bitter chuckle escaped her lips. "That's why I was so devastated when I saw him get shot…" She looked at the man with melancholy eyes. "I saw the man I admire and treasure the most killed in front of my eyes…"

Aoshi shifted uncomfortably from his position, his eyes landing on the floor as a surge of guilt flowed through his body. Megumi, noticing the man's discomfort, sniffled and forced a smile onto her lips. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her eyes on the distressed man. "I didn't mean to place you in an uncomfortable position."  

When the man did not reply, she cleared her throat and again smiled at him. "Thank you again."

"It was nothing."

"No really…that was my favorite photograph of my father and I," said the girl, moving her head from side to side. "If I had lost it, I wouldn't know what to do. So…arigatou."

"You're welcome."

A minute of uncomfortable silence passed, the raven-haired woman's attention fixed on her nails and Aoshi regarding her with perceptive eyes. Finally, she looked up to meet his gaze and smiled. "This is probably a stupid question," began the girl, a slight chuckle escaping her lips. "But, could you please tell me your name?"

"Aoshi."

"Aoshi…" repeated the girl, stretching out his name as though coaxing him to say more. 

"Aoshi Shinomori."

"Aoshi Shinomori," she repeated again. The young woman got up from her seat silently and walked to stand directly in front of the man. Extending a hand, she said, "Megumi Takani."

"I already know that, Takani-san."

"No please, just Megumi," she said, raising her hands in dismissal of the rather formal name. 

"Very well, Megumi-san."

A ring from within Aoshi's pocket saved the two adults from another awkward silence. Giving the woman an apologetic look, Aoshi pulled the mobile from within his right pocket and answered the call, unaware of the inquisitive gaze Megumi sent his way during the one-way conversation – Aoshi seemed to only be nodding his head as the person on the other line spoke. After a minute, Aoshi replaced the phone in his pocket, his gaze immediately landing on the woman in front of him. 

"Who was that?" asked Megumi, her head cocked to one side in wonder.

"Misao and Soujiro have arrived," answered her bodyguard. "Would you like to meet up with them?"

Getting up from her bed, Megumi nodded. "I would like that."

Nodding in compliance, Aoshi moved from his position next to the door and clasped the brass knob, opening the white door as he waited for the raven-haired woman to exit the room. He closed the white entrance with a snap as the woman brushed past him, the heels of her shoes clicking against the hardwood floor, echoing across the quiet hallway. Following the woman in silent steps, Aoshi stopped in his tracks when Megumi suddenly turned around, a slim hand slipped gingerly inside a coat pocket.

"Shinomori-san?"

"Yes?"

"Arigatou."

"You've thanked me enough for returning the photograph, Megumi-san," Aoshi replied politely, his hand raised as though asking the woman to desist with her constant showers of gratitude. 

"Iie, that's not what I'm thanking you for," said the woman, shaking her head from side to side, raven tresses rippling gently on her shoulders. A confused look made its way onto Aoshi's face as he watched the woman turn around and resume her walk down the hallway.

When she was a good twenty feet away from him, Megumi turned again briefly and said, "Arigatou, Shinomori-san…for looking out for me."

~~**~~~**~~

Erm…not so good, was it? First off, I apologize if I made any typos or anything like that. I usually don't bother rereading the stories after I've typed them up. My laziness is to blame for that. Second, if they seemed OOC, I apologize for that too. I think I kind of deviated away from the true Megumi in this chapter. She just seemed a little too nice, didn't she? And lastly, I apologize if the ending wasn't very good. Looks like the two of them are beginning to warm up to each other, right? Anyway, it's pretty obvious now that this story will center on Aoshi and Megumi. I've pretty much hinted that with the summary. The next chapter will definitely be more plot related, and of course there will be more interactions between the two. However, it might take me awhile to update chapter 5. I'll be busy with schoolwork. So yeah…please be patient with me. Okay then. Please don't forget to review this chapter so I can read them and get some super motivation to write the next chapter as soon as I find the time. Thank you for taking the time and reading this little story of mine, and I hope to hear from you guys through your reviews! Thank you again!

~~:AzaleaFaye:~~


	5. A Failed Attempt and Another Connection

Disclaimer: I still do not own any of the characters used in this story…unfortunately. 

Author's Note: Hi there! I apologize for not updating in about two weeks or so, but as I've said before, I've been busy with schoolwork. And praise everything in the world because I've just finished my midterms for the week! And because of this, I thought I should reward myself – and you guys as well – by finally writing up the fifth chapter of this story. So here is the product! I hope you will all read and review this chapter. And don't hold back! Well then, enough talking from me; Enjoy!

Chapter Five: A Failed Attempt and Another Connection

Fumiya Takani adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses as the large elevator came to a halt on the fifth floor of the company headquarters, its silver doors opening to reveal a beige-carpeted hallway sandwiched between a white-washed wall filled with paintings and a glass divider on the right. Weaving his way through the group of people congregated in the lift, the CEO of Takani Enterprises silently exited the elevator and made his way towards the double mahogany doors at the end of the hallway, nodding at various employees who bid him a good morning. With a gentle smile towards his secretary – a woman in her mid-50's clad in a pink business suit – Fumiya turned the doorknob and entered his office, closing the door behind him with a faint click. 

Sighing, he removed his gray coat and hung it on the antique chair situated next to the entrance, then made his way towards his desk. Setting his briefcase onto the small chair in front of the table, he rifled through the papers and mail that had accumulated on his desk. "Invitation…paper to sign…paper to sign…paper to sign…" muttered the CEO as he thumbed through the stack. "I really need to get a li—" Before getting the chance to finish his sentence, a familiar pink envelope fell out from the stack, catching Fumiya's attention. Cautiously, he opened the envelope with trembling hands, extracting a dirty-white stationary with singed edges. Slowly, he read the written message, his eyes widening in panic with each word: _Fumiya-san,_

_By now I am sure that you are used to my constant threats. And surely, before even finishing with this letter, you will have already shrugged this off without a question. But have you ever stopped and asked yourself: should you?_

_Be mindful of your younger sister, Takani-san. And this time, I suggest that you DO take this threat seriously. I know I will…_

The young CEO quickly dropped the paper onto the desk, his hands balled into shaking fists as he gazed at the paper menacingly. Sharply inhaling, he grabbed the phone sitting on his desk and dialed a number, groaning in frustration when the phone rang three times. He was about to hang up when someone suddenly answered on the other line. 

~~*~~~*~~

Sunlight glinted off a neatly polished silver sedan that silently pulled to a halt in front of the 3-story library, the building entryway a long mosaic path of red and gray bricks. Silently, Aoshi Shinomori opened his door and made his way towards the other side of the sedan, stepping back as he opened the door for Megumi Takani. 

"You really don't have to do that every time, Aoshi-san," said the raven-haired woman, a small hint of annoyance evident in her voice. Noting the bright sunrays reflecting off the library windows, Megumi gingerly removed her cream-colored coat and smoothed her clothing, adding, "I am fully capable of opening the door myself."

"And yet you remain seated every time I come around and do the task for you," Aoshi mused, a small smirk etched on his lips. The smile immediately faded, however, when Megumi threw her coat onto the backseat and huffed past her bodyguard, her leather purse slung tightly on her shoulder. 

Closing the door behind him, Aoshi nodded at the young man seated behind the wheel – whom he silently asked not to go anywhere – then followed the woman as she walked down the ornate path. He suddenly stopped in his tracks when the raven-haired woman sharply turned around, a hand on her hip and an eyebrow raised. "Are you going to follow me inside as well?"

"It's my job."

"You take your job too seriously," said the woman offhandedly, waving a hand in dismissal of her bodyguard. She turned around and resumed walking. Before she got far, however, she added, "I'm a big girl, Shinomori-san. I'm sure I can handle walking around the library by myself." 

Nodding his head in understanding, Aoshi remained rooted to his spot, watching the woman as she entered the building. When she disappeared behind the frosted sliding doors, he made his way back to the silver sedan, his face expressionless as ever. 

~~*~~~*~~

The automatic glass doors behind Megumi closed with a silent whoosh, cutting off the warmth of the bright sun shining outside. Megumi ran a hand through her exposed forearm as she made her way through the silent study area towards the rows and rows of bookshelves. "I should have brought my coat with me," she muttered, mentally slapping herself for making such a minor mistake. 

Trying her best to ignore the cold, Megumi scanned the volumes situated on the shelves next to her, trying to find the books she was looking for and maybe finding another title that may prove useful for her research. After ten minutes of quiet but quick searching (so quick that she accidentally bumped shoulders with a tall man with gravity-defying blonde hair), the raven-haired woman returned to the lobby to check out the four books stacked on her arms, waiting patiently as one of the librarians scanned the four titles. With a nod of gratitude and a smile of thanks, Megumi took the books onto her arms and turned to walk out of the library, her purse hanging limply on the crook of her right elbow. 

Frustrated with the uncomfortable weight added on by her purse, Megumi shifted the weight of the books onto her left arm and adjusted her bag to a more tolerable position, all the while continuing with her trek out of the library. Unfortunately, with her attention directed towards her purse, Megumi did not see a woman who had entered the library at the same time. And before she knew what had happened, the books Megumi held in her arms were sprawled all over the ground, her hand clutching at her upper arm as she knelt on the floor, a pulsing pain coursing through her body. 

"Oh, I am so sorry," apologized the woman, a flustered look on her face a she bent down to help pick up the books on the floor and a few objects that flew out of Megumi's partially opened purse. "I was in such a hurry – you never know when someone else might check out the book you want!"

"It's alright," replied Megumi with a smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she balanced a book on her knee. She accepted the book being handed to her. "I was in a hurry myself a few minutes ago."

The two women stood up, both straightening their clothes.

"I'm so sorry again," apologized the woman with a sheepish smile, bowing as Megumi made to exit the library. 

She gave the woman a friendly smile, then moved past the automatic doors, noting that her bodyguard stood halfway through the brick path, ready to meet her. Rolling her eyes, Megumi made her way towards the man slowly. 

"Excuse me!"

Hearing the familiar voice, Megumi turned around to face the woman she had earlier ran into. The raven-haired beauty tilted her head to the side as the other woman approached her spot, confusion etched on her face. 

"I'm sorry for bothering you again," apologized the woman, slightly bowing. She hand Megumi a red leather wallet. "I don't think you realized that you dropped this earlier when you ran into me."

"Arigatou."

"Iie, it's nothing," said the woman, waving a hand to dismiss Megumi's gratitude. "I'm sorry, but are you a student at Todai?" 

"Yes, I am."

"I thought so! I've seen you around campus," explained the woman, her index finger perched lightly on her pointed chin. She extended her hand towards Megumi with a friendly smile. "Yumi Komagata."

Balancing the books once again onto her left arm, Megumi accepted the offered hand with a light smile, her purse sliding down to the crook of her right elbow. "Megumi Takani."

"Takani…you're the daughter of Ryusei Takani, are you not?" asked the woman, her hand still clasped onto Megumi's, not showing any signs of letting go. 

Megumi silently nodded at the woman, her chocolate eyes slightly widening as the woman's grasped tightened on her hand. She tried to pry herself off the woman's grasp, but failed.

"Tell me, do you take the threats against your life seriously?" asked Yumi, her lips etched into a triumphant smirk. The grin widened when she saw Megumi's silent no. "Well you should."

With those last three words, Megumi's expression changed from friendly to surprised to terrified. And before she knew what had happened, the raven-haired woman felt her hand releasing from Yumi's deadly grip, chocolate eyes closed tightly as she felt her body gently fall to the ground with a light thud. After a few seconds, piercing screams now echoing in the once silent air, Megumi opened her eyes to stare at the dark-jade gaze of Aoshi Shinomori, his eyes narrowed in an expressionless stare. 

~~*~~~*~~

Ten minutes of silence passed since Megumi entered the library, punctuated only by the light conversations of people passing thru the mosaic path. The automatic window of the driver seat suddenly rolled down with an electric hum, breaking the comfortable silence. "Ano…are you sure that was a wise idea?" asked Soujiro, poking his head halfway out of the window, his curious dark eyes gazing at the man leaning casually against the sedan. 

"Megumi-dono was clearly hinting that she needed some privacy," answered Aoshi, his eyes never meeting the young man's.

"Demo…what if something happens to her?" questioned the younger man, his lips upturned in a curious smile. "We are in a public area – anyone poses a threat towards Megumi-san."

Aoshi craned his neck to look at the young man, his eyes piercing behind his bangs, a dark brow raised in question. "Are you insinuating that something will, in fact, happen to Megumi-san?"

"I-Iie," replied Soujiro, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips as he scratched the back of his head, slightly cowering at the older man's scrutinizing gaze. "I was merely commenting on the—"

A faint ringing cut off the young man's sentence, prompting both Aoshi and Soujiro to look at the source of the sound. Immediately, the older of the two men opened the backseat door and searched every pocket of Megumi's cream-colored coat until he found her mobile. Glancing at the number displayed on the small screen, he immediately answered the call. "Hai, Takani-san?"

"Shinomori-san?" said his employer, shock evident in his voice. "Where is my sister? Why did she not personally answer my call?"

"Megumi-san asked to be left alone," Aoshi simply replied, his voice an air of casualness. With a serious look, however, his tone suddenly changed. "Takani-san…is there a problem?"

"I received another letter," answered Fumiya, his voice strained. "Please find Megumi right away…I do not wish for any harm to fall on her."

"Neither do I," said Aoshi, ending the conversation and throwing the mobile phone onto the backseat, silently flopping on the cream-colored coat that was haphazardly thrown inside the car. Without closing the door, he silently jogged down the brick path towards the library, noting that a woman clad in a red coat had just activated the automatic glass doors. Aoshi slowed to a stop when he caught a glimpse of the subject of their conversation, who was currently adjusting the position of the purse hanging on her arm. He groaned inwardly, however, when Megumi suddenly collided unexpectedly with the woman in red, the books she held in her hand flying out of her grasp and a few items from her purse jumping out of the bag. 

Fighting the urge to walk towards her and help – mentally noting that Megumi might once again condemn him for giving her aid for such a simple task as getting up from the floor – Aoshi remained rooted on his spot and watched silently as the two women gathered the items off the floor, the one in red apologizing to Megumi profusely. After a minute of conversing, the two women finally bid each other a good day, each going on with their own business. Choosing to ignore the way Megumi rolled her eyes at the sight of him, Aoshi waited patiently for the raven-haired woman to reach his place, his eyes glued on the woman a good fifty feet in front of him. 

His watchful gaze was broken, however, when a man with blonde hair – amazingly gelled to defy gravity – appeared from within the library, hiding behind a corner. His brows furrowed slightly when he noticed that the man handed the woman in red a leather wallet, whispering to her something Aoshi had obviously not heard. Suspiciously, Aoshi began to walk towards the approaching Megumi, closing the gap between him and the woman. His eyes narrowed, however, when the woman in red called out to the woman he was protecting, the leather wallet held gingerly in her hands as the frosted doors slid to a close. 

Stopping in his tracks, his eyes still narrowed in suspicion, Aoshi watched as the woman in red extended her hand and gave Megumi the wallet, her face a mask of fake apology. He was close enough to hear the ensuing conversation between the two women and, locking his gaze on the raven-haired woman, chose to listen with slight interest. 

"Arigatou."

"Iie, its nothing," Aoshi heard the woman say, watching as she waved a hand in dismissal of Megumi's gratitude. "I'm sorry, but are you a student at Todai?"

"Yes, I am."

"I thought so! I've seen you around campus," explained the woman. Aoshi stared the woman in red intently as she extended her hand for Megumi to shake. "Yumi Komagata."

A small scoff escaped Aoshi's lips as Megumi gingerly extended her hand, balancing her books on her left arm, her purse sliding inconveniently down her right arm. "Megumi Takani."

Aoshi was about to dismiss any suspicions he had of the woman in red, ready to let down his defenses, when her next question suddenly stopped him in his tracks. 

"Takani…you're the daughter of Ryusei Takani, are you not?" he heard the woman ask, noting that her face had suddenly changed from that friendly to of silent triumph. Aoshi involuntarily took a step forward when he noticed Megumi's increasing discomfort. He heard the woman continue. 

"Tell me, do you take the threats against your life seriously?" 

He fleetingly noticed the woman smirk at Megumi's surprised reaction. But before he had the chance to make any further observations, he heard it: the readying of a 32 mm sniper rifle, its base propped gently onto the rough branch of a tree. With Megumi's safety the top priority on his list, Aoshi quickly made his way towards the two women. Briefly hearing a glimpse of the woman in red saying something, he immediately ran past the her and wrapped an arm around Megumi's waist, his other arm slung over her shoulder, a hand cushioning the back of her head as a small wince escaped his lips, the searing kiss of hot lead making its mark onto his shoulder. 

With his breathing a ragged escape of air through his lips, Aoshi concentrated his gaze on the woman pinned underneath him, a mixture of concern and pain on his jade eyes. His eyes traversed down to where his shoulder bled slowly onto her white blouse, the fabric soaking in the scarlet liquid like a sponge soaking up water. He returned his gaze back onto Megumi's face when she stirred underneath him, his eyes now devoid of expression as her chocolate orbs gazed back at him, silently questioning the man as to what had just happened. 

"A—Aoshi…" she said, the word barely escaping her lips as her eyes traveled down to where his shoulders bled, her chocolate orbs widening in horror. "W—What happened? Y—You're bleeding…"

A light warmth pressed itself onto Aoshi's chest as Megumi placed her palm over his torso, trying to gently push the man off of her to tend to his wound. But Aoshi remained still. 

"I-Iie, Megumi-san," Aoshi began, his voice slightly strained. He looked up from the woman and scanned the area around the library, eyes narrowing when all he saw were people standing around himself and Megumi, terrified looks etched across their faces, the faint sound of sirens echoing through the air. "Where is she?"

"Who?"

"The woman in red…and the man with the blonde hair?" asked Aoshi, finally lifting his weight off the raven-haired woman and sitting up next to her, the people around them still whispering amongst themselves. His eyes closed briefly but flew back open when he felt gently hands unbuttoning his blood-drenched shirt. Ignoring the pain on his shoulder, Aoshi gently caught Megumi's wrist. "Megumi-san…"

"You're bleeding, Aoshi…please, let me take a look at your wound while the paramedics take their sweet time in getting here," began Megumi, an air of impatience evident in her voice. Her face suddenly transformed from one of concern to that of annoyance, her eyes holding a look of questioning impatience. "What happened?"

A ghost of a smile crept across Aoshi's lips as he replied, "I was merely doing my job, Megumi-san…"

And before Megumi could reply, Aoshi fell unconscious, his body gently falling forward onto her arms as an ambulance pulled to a stop to where the silver sedan once stood. 

~~**~~~**~~

So…that was a rather long chapter, don't you think? How was it? I hope it wasn't too confusing. But anyway, I hope you guys have figured out who the man with gravity-defying blonde hair was. If not, then I'll just have to fill you in on that next time, right? It's pretty obvious now who's pulling Kanryu's string. Atleast I'm hoping it's pretty obvious. Looks like I'm finally getting somewhere in developing the plot. And there's more plot development in the next chapters to come. But as before, it might take me awhile to get the next chapter up. Darn college. But for now, please review this chapter to let me know how it was and if I confused anyone. I don't like making the same mistakes, so if I did something wrong on this chapter, let me know so I wouldn't repeat the mistake on the next chapter. Alrighty then! Have a wonderful day and thanks for reading!

~~:AzaleaFaye:~~

BTW…Todai is Tokyo University, NOT a Japanese Seafood Restaurant. 


	6. A Small Talk Between Strangers

Disclaimer: I still, to this day, do not own any of the characters you recognize in this chapter and in this story in general…

Author's Note: I am SO sorry for not updating. To be honest, I haven't been able to write anything up because of writer's block – you all know how that is. Also, I've been extremely occupied with schoolwork, thus rendering me unable to have the time to actually write something. Hopefully though, you guys did not lose hope in me. I would never abandon this story, given the response I've gotten from it so far! Anyway, thank you to all of you who have been patient enough and have been following this story. Thanks especially to Daiji for all her constructive criticisms, Araiey for all her support, and Cherie for being a great author and supporter! Here's the sixth chapter – finally! Also, I tweaked the previous chapter a little bit. So, if you guys want to check that out, please do! Thanks again!

Chapter Six: A Small Talk Between Strangers

It was another typical day at the Tokyo Police precinct. The air was polluted both by the smell of tobacco and by the noise of telephones ringing, accused criminals swearing, and police officers yelling. Amidst this scene, a tall and lanky investigator, his well-polished shoes rhythmically clicking against the floor, made his way past the chaos and into a plain, undecorated hallway. 

Ignoring a polite nod from a younger officer, the man continued his trek, narrowed eyes focused on a dark-gray door at the end of the corridor: interrogation room B, his destination. With long strides he reached the door in mere seconds, turning the doorknob with a gloved hand and entering a small, rectangular room adjacent to a larger one.

"What has he been up to so far?" asked the inspector, addressing an officer in his early 30's, his intense gaze set on a young man sitting quietly in the adjacent room.

"Nothing much, sir," replied the man, popping a stick of gum into his mouth, loudly chewing as the silver wrapper fell to the carpeted floor. "He hasn't moved an inch since he got here; been staring at that freaking wall with that smile of his face. The kid creeps me out, boss."

Giving the officer an appreciative nod, the inspector extended a hand to a gray door leading to the adjacent room, gloved hand clasping the knob as he turned halfway to face the other officer. "That wrapper had best be off the floor when I return, Jounichi-san."

And with that said, police inspector Hajime Saitou pulled the door open and entered the dimly lit room, his presence breaking the young man's trance. 

~~*~~~*~~

"Please come in and have a seat."

Nodding, Soujiro Seta walked past the police officer, his eyes adjusting to the dimly lit room. Taking a seat on one of two chairs set on either side of a rectangular table, the young man quickly scanned the room, inwardly scoffing as his eyes landed on a one-way mirror reflecting his boyish image. 

"Someone will be with you in a few minutes," said the officer, her hand clasping the doorknob, a polite smile etched on her face. "Until then, please make yourself comfortable."

A respectful smile crept onto the young man's lips as the female officer closed the door with a gentle snap, leaving Soujiro to sit in silence, the quiet atmosphere punctuated only by the ticking of a circular wall clock hanging above the one-way mirror. The sound lulling him into an almost hypnotized state, Soujiro fixed his gaze onto the gray wall in front of him, his lips smiling as he recalled events that had occurred over the past 48 hours. __

The atmosphere was tense at the Takani household since the failed attempt on Megumi Takani's life. Everyone – both Fumiya Takani and the house servants – remained shaken and dared not to speak of the incident, save for the proper authorities. Indeed, so tense was the atmosphere that Fumiya Takani himself remained locked in his office and the house staff remained out of sight unless needed.

This was the environment Soujiro found himself in 24 hours ago: the halls empty, the kitchens quiet. And it was this environment that led the young man into a conversation with a usually boisterous young woman…__

_48 hours ago_

_The double white doors leading to the servant's dining area swung open as Megumi Takani's personal driver entered the room, his gaze immediately landing on the figure of a young woman sitting along in the room, her slightly slouched back facing the young man. Closing the gap separating himself and the girl, Soujiro stood behind her, his hand resting on the back of the chair as he shifted his position to better see her face. _

_"Misao-chan…have you seen Kamatari-san?" asked the young man with a smile, slightly face-faulting when he did not receive a reply. Clearing his throat, Soujiro moved his hand from the back of his chair to the girl's shoulder, asking lightly, "Ano…is anything the matter, Misao-chan?"_

_The young woman snapped out of her trance, curious blue orbs meeting concerned brown eyes. An apologetic smile made its way onto her lips, her hand flying to rest onto her shoulder, on top of the young man's. "Soujiro! Gomen…I didn't hear you come in!"_

_"Iie, it's ok," said the young man, pulling up a chair and flashing the young woman a smile. "Misao-chan…is something wrong?"_

_When no response came from the girl, Soujiro added, "If you are concerned with Megumi-san's safety, you don't need to worry. Fumiya-san made sure that she's protected while Shinomori-san recuperates."_

_"I know that…but what about Aoshi-san?" said the girl, turning to face Soujiro, her face a mixture of anger and worry. "I'm sure by now, someone's watching his every move, waiting for the right time to finish him off."_

_"Shinomori-san is a strong man…you know as much as I do that he cannot be finished off easily…especially now that Megumi-san has been thrust into a difficult and dangerous situation."_

_"And what about us?"_

_"I doubt us house servants will be targets, Misao-chan," consoled the young man. "And even if we become targets, I won't let anything happen to you…I would never forgive myself."_

_She gave the girl a supportive smile._

_"Arigato, Soujiro-kun."_

The sound of a door creaking open shook the young man out of his reverie. Shifting his gaze away from the dull wall, his brown eyes landed on the tall form of a police inspector currently taking out a pack of cigarettes from his trouser pocket as the door gently snapped to a close. The young man moved to stand up from his seat, but stopped when the officer silently told him to stay seated. 

"I am sure you've seen how this works in the movies, Seta-san," said the police officer, leaning against the gray wall, completely ignoring the empty chair across the young man. "So let us begin."

"Ano…are you not going to introduce yourself first, sir?" asked the young man with curious eyes. 

"If you feel it is relevant – although I do not think it is – then I am police inspector Hajime Saitou," answered the man with great impatience. "With that out of the way, tell me…where were you after the attempt at Takani-san's life failed miserably? You appeared ten minutes after the shootings were heard…a little suspicious, do you not think so?" 

"I'm sure it does look suspicious, Saitou-san," chuckled the young man, lightly knocking on the rectangular table. "But I was simply asked to move the vehicle to a different spot by a parking attendant. He had said that I was in the way of pedestrian traffic."

"I see," the police inspector mumbled, unconvinced. "And where, might I ask, did you move the vehicle?"

"Given the limited parking spots available at the library, I had to move the vehicle to the mall parking structure half a block away," answered the boy, unblinking. 

"The mall parking structure? Isn't that only three minutes away from the library, by car?" Saitou asked, an eyebrow raised in question, eyes filled with mild triumph. "Why then did it take you ten minutes to arrive?"

"You must understand, sir, that the streets had been blocked when I had arrived," explained the boy. "It took me awhile to persuade the police to let me into the library complex…"

A contemplative look made its way onto the police inspector's face. After a few minutes of silence, he looked up at the young man and said, "I see…I have nothing else to ask you, Seta-san." With a curt nod, he tapped the one-way mirror and watched as a female officer entered the room, a patient smile on her face.

"Follow me, please."

"Is there no other way that I can help, Saitou-san?" asked the young man as he got up from his seat, eyes fixed on the smoking man in front of him. "Megumi-san's safety is of utmost importance to me."

"Is it now?" muttered the inspector with a light scoff. Without another word, he exited the interrogation room. 

"That was a quick one, boss."

"The boy is hiding something behind that smile," said the lanky man, crushing his cigarette into an ashtray. 

"You think so, boss?"

"Why else would he give out such detailed explanations for his late arrival?" Saitou commented, moving to leave the small room. "I might just keep an eye on this young man…he knows something; I can feel it…"

A short silence fell between the two men, broken when the door opened with a creak, letting in the noise of the precinct. "And Jounichi…"

"Yes boss?"

"Were you not listening to me?" asked the police inspector, glancing momentarily at the silver wrapper on the floor. And with that said, the door snapped closed, leaving the younger officer embarrassed.

~~*~~~*~~

A small sigh escaped Megumi Takani's lips. Almost a week had past since the attempt at her life, and things are beginning to return to normal. The servants have begun again with their normal work routines, her brother has begun to interact with other people in the house, and Aoshi Shinomori's condition has improved considerably. 

A smile crept onto the woman's rouge-colored lips. Aoshi Shinomori was still a mystery to her. Despite holding numerous, albeit short conversations with the man, she still had limited knowledge about him. It seemed unfair to her, really. Her bodyguard knew almost everything about her; and yet she herself had no idea about his past. And being the woman that she is, she is determined to change that. 

"Takani-san!"

The young woman turned to see the running figure of her personal helper, Misao Makimachi. "What is it, Misao?"

"Are you going to visit Shinomori-san again?"

"Yes I am," answered the woman, a light smile on her lips as she gave the girl a polite nod. 

"How is he?"

"Shinomori-san is a strong man…his attending physician has told me that he should be back in about a week," replied Megumi, adjusting the strap of her purse, which had slid down her toned arm. 

"That's good news," said the young woman, an expression of relief on her face. "Will you be staying at the hospital for the whole day again, Megumi-san?"

"Only for a few hours…I have some business to attend to at the University."

"Shall I call for Soujiro-kun then?"

"Iie…Fumiya-san will drop me off himself," Megumi replied, giving the girl an apologetic but thankful smile as she continued her trek down the hallway. "And I will let Shinomori-san know about your great concern, Misao-chan."

"Arigato, Megumi-san!" chirped the girl, her attention suddenly caught by the disappearing form of Soujiro Seta behind swinging kitchen doors.

~~**~~~**~~

There you have it, folks! I have finally updated! It's not a very exciting chapter; but it's an update nonetheless! Just stay tuned for the next chapter, because the story will pick up from there! And just to let you all know…there will be some interaction between our favorite characters on the next chapter…so wait for it^_^ But for now, please review and let me know how this was…have a nice day and thanks for being patient with me!

~~:AzaleaFaye:~~  


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